Hiring international talent in the UK requires businesses to have a sponsorship licence for each international hire. Most companies have to secure sponsorship licences before offering a UK-based position to international employees. With many international professionals looking to the UK, global applicants are migrating rapidly. This shift has been primarily due to the new reforms and rules introduced by the UK Immigration Authorities.
Several other countries like the UK are inviting foreign talent to cover the skills shortage gap. Some of these countries are the US, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. If you are considering a shift to the North American continent, you should consult reputable immigration lawyers US for further information about the legalities, paperwork, insurance, and documentation.
Let’s look at how to hire international talent in the UK.
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Quick Overview for Hiring International Talent
When you’re at the start of the process, businesses in the UK should concentrate on the legalities instead of making offers. The best way to do this is:
- Review everything you may need to file for the sponsorship licence. This step is crucial.
- If there are any files, verifications, or attestations that UKVI (UK Visa and Immigration) might require, it’s best to get those before submitting the application for the licence.
- The final licence wait times may differ depending on your application’s strength and the documents’ relevancy. In most cases, a final decision is announced within 8 weeks. However, if your business has an urgent requirement for a sponsorship licence, there is an urgency fee of £500 for a fast-track decision within 10 working days.
- In the meantime, you should start constructing a job description with all the information required for an excellent hire. Once you finalize the right international talent, you should cross-check the visa eligibility requirements and match them against the UKVI requirements.
- Simultaneously, apply for the Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) and allocate the relevant CoS number for the candidate.
- Once the CoS number is allocated, the potential employee files for a work visa/ permit with the UKVI. This visa category is usually the UK Skilled Worker class. However, there may be others that could be applicable.
How to Hire International Talent?
In detail, let us look at a few of these points (mentioned above).
Eligibility Requirements for CoS:
UK businesses applying for a CoS must ensure they are UK-based and operational (fully functional) in the UK. These businesses should not have hired illegal workers in the past and should not have committed any immigration offences like fraud, money laundering, cash-based forex transactions, etc.
Businesses applying for the licence should also not have any previous sponsorship licences revoked in the current or last financial year. They will also have to appoint a single point of contact (reliable employee) as the key personnel for the CoS.
Procedures and Processes:
Businesses applying for the UK Sponsorship Licence will also have to adhere to the following:
- Have an updated system with all the HR documentation and records for all CoS-sponsored international workers on work permits/ visas.
- Show that they have strict processes for vetting foreign professionals before a CoS can be allocated.
- Have a robust reporting system to ensure all changes (worker does not arrive for work on the first day, crime committed in the UK, fees and penalties levied on the worker, and so on) are communicated to the UKVI.
- The minimum pay for international workers is £25,600 (or an updated minimum) for Skilled Worker Visa class.
Applying for the CoS:
Businesses should ensure the application for the CoS is complete and Key Personnel is appointed for Level 1 and Level 2 users of the Sponsor Management System (SMS). Once this is in order, you will need scanned copies (soft copies) of all documents to upload with the online application form. During submission, you will have to pay the fees online (fees differ based on the visa category, business, and type of sponsorship licence selected).
As part of the reference and compliance check, your official business may also be visited by a UKVI official (compliance officer) for a physical verification to ensure the validity of all documents and to view the office premises as stated in the application.
Allocate CoS Number:
Once the CoS is allocated, you should assign the CoS number to the prospective employee to apply for the work permit. The CoS number helps UKVI keep track of the employment records and ensures the processes are within the guidelines of the sponsorship licence.
Once your prospective employee uploads all the documents and finishes the online submission, there is a wait time till a work permit is awarded.
